HIV from semen in a lake - beg you to answer

Apr 4, 2008

Hi,

It's me again. I'm sure you receive thousands of e-mails and only answer a couple but this one is at least differentiated and I am really struggling without an expert opinion.

I encountered two men masturbating each other under water in a lake and I was 18ft away masturbating as I found it a turn on. I am a virgin. At one point I noticed what appeared to be semen on my leg (which was in the water). This was not my own. I paniced and quickly removed it with water and sand without breaking my own skin.

Worst case if this was HIV + semen that had floated and attached to my leg what are the odds of transmission? The water is brackish. I also touched my penis after washing my hands throughly in the water - there may have been traces of the substance on my hands.

Thanks a million - you do amazing work.

James

Response from Dr. Frascino

Hello James,

You think your question is "differentiated"??? How so? I get a steady stream of questions from extremely anxious folks worrying about "worse case" scenarios where the HIV exposure is essentially a non-exposure! Yours is just one more! Your risk of contracting HIV from two dudes "burping the nephew" underwater 18 feet away is completely nonexistent. HIV is a virus, not an Olympic swimmer frevinsakes! Even if both studly Dudleys spunked directly on your leg, there would be essentially no risk, assuming your skin was intact! HIV cannot permeate intact skin! James, I suggest you spend some time perusing the wealth of information on this site, in its archives and on its related links, paying particular attention to how HIV is and is not transmitted. Sex is supposed to be fun, not anxiety provoking!

One last thing: So exactly where is this lake where the boys pop their corks while others watch? I'm sure our readers will want to know.

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